And Then There Were Four
by X3
Summary: The further continuation, Trance joins the crew


And then there were 4

And Then There Were Four

Disclaimer:I own nothing and I am getting no money

A/N:Third in the series, possibly the last part since the crew is all together now

Harper was seized by a coughing fit again and it left him dizzy.That wasn't good. It meant Beka was going to get all mother-y again.He supposed he should appreciate her concern.He had seen enough in this galaxy to know it was rare and special to have someone care about you. He sat down until the dizziness passed and then got back to fixing the heat.He was sick.His chest felt like it was being squeezed, hard, by a giant invisible fist.He got sick far too often, sometimes he wondered why Beka didn't just leave him somewhere and find herself a lower maintenance maintenance man.He popped a dislocated coil back into place.It was late, he was the only one left awake.He had to get the environmental system back up.He took another swig of cola and slid back into the hole behind the wall panel.There was a satisfying click followed by a whir as the environmental systems kicked in again.Harper coughed again and reaching into his belt pulled out a bottle of pills and took a couple.

Rev opened his eyes.There was a noise, his eyes were still adjusting to the dark but he heard a noise.Jumping down from the top bunk he noticed Harper had finally made it to bed and was sprawled on the lower bunk. He hadn't heard him come in. The environmental controls were on the fritz again and he had been working on it all day.It was also why he was crashing with Rev Bem.His own room was in a part of the ship without heat, and Harper was making an ice cube tray under his bed.The noise was clearer on the floor.Glancing around Rev found its source.

The noise was coming from Harper.His breath was rattling in his chest.He was gasping for air with a sickening wheeze.Pale and getting tangled in his blanket as he squirmed, Rev wasn't sure what to do.

Should he wake the little guy up?He probably should, he needed to get medical attention. Of course, there was no medical help available.But Harper had gotten much worse and if he remained untreated he might die.Rev decided to go and find Beka.

Beka heard a knock at her door."What the--!?!" she muttered.What was going on now?Getting out of bed she found Rev on the other side of the door."Master Harper is sick."There was a shocker.Poor Harper, he was always getting sick.The awful conditions he grew up in were still shrouded in mystery for the rest of the crew, but what they did know was it had left his immune system in tatters.It was no surprise he was sick again.Harper had been coughing and taking antibiotics for the last 3 days."I know. Anything else?"It wasn't that she didn't care about Harper, because she did.

This was the third time Harper had gotten seriously sick.The first time was one of the scariest moments in Beka's life.It had happened about a month and a half after he came aboard.She had turned the corner and found him lying on the deck shaking and making some sort of moan in his throat.He was the first person she had ever seen convulsing like that.His skin had been so cold and colorless and his eyes had been open, staring into nothingness.He was suffering from Valair poisoning; the scrap parts they had collected from their last job had been infected. Valair poisoning was transmitted through the skin by touching infected substances.Her immune system was more than adequate to protect her. Unfortunately, Harper's turned out to be weak.She had held him in her lap until the shaking stopped.Vex-Pag had still been alive then, but he had never seen Valair poisoning.It was rare and there was nothing he could do for him.Harper had suffered 4 more attacks, each worse than the one before, before they got him to a spaceport and medical ministering.It was one of the nastiest cases of Valair poisoning they had encountered.It had scared her more than she thought it would to see him like that.She had only known him a short time but he was like family to her.

The second time was about 5 months latter but better than the first. Looking back, the second time had been more gradual.He had been sneezing and rubbing bloodshot eyes for days before she realized he was sick again.Then he had stumbled into the room dizzy and exhausted. His skin had actually had a greenish hue and he was sweating buckets.He couldn't talk because his throat was too sore, something he hadn't taken well.He had had the Tomahar flu.Vex- Pag might have been able to help him that time but he had already had his unfortunate accident.Rev had joined the crew by now prayed for Divine help but Beka stopped him from giving Harper last rights.She had sat with him while he emptied his stomach contents and while he quietly mumbled incoherently in his sleep.In a short time she had become very protective of the boy.That dieses ran its course and eventually Harper was on his sarcastic feet again. 

This time it was a respitory infection.She had seen him coughing and taking his antibiotics but hoped it was just another passing cold.She wished they were closer to a spaceport, or a planet, or even just a ship with a doctor.She had noticed the signs early enough, but there was nothing she could do for him.This left her feeling guilty, it was clear just breathing was quite painful for Harper, but because he was on the Maru with her there was no relief for him.

Sitting down at her desk she looked at a map.They were in the middle of nowhere. Where could they take Harper?There was a little planet about 3 hours away.It was close enough, but it wasn't a regular spaceport.They probably would have someone could help.They'd have to try at least.

She was so protective of Harper because he had drawn a bad hand in life.It wasn't fair.He had lived a nightmare surrounded by death and misery for 20 years.He had seen his family horribly killed, been right there and seen it.He had watched Nietzchiens loot and ravage his home. Watched them take his neighbors for slaves.They had tortured him.In his short life he had already been tortured.Tortured by the best tormenters in the galaxy.Beka didn't know the specifics of Nietzchien torture, but she knew Nietzchiens and knew they had to be the best. She couldn't even imagine living through what Harper had.So she wanted to do all she could to protect him from more pain.

She got dressed in some more appropriate clothes; a tank top and boxer shorts were hardly captain- wear.She reset their course and because she was ready to worry, and hopeful Rev was exaggerating Harper's condition.Unfortunately, a Wayist doesn't lie.She had gotten all the way inside her engineer's quarters before she remembered the environmental system and that Harper was sleeping in Rev's room.The system was fixed now, but Harper spent too much time trying to do everything.They needed more help.Rev opened his door and pointed to the sleeping boy.He was still asleep, a brick wall could fall on the notoriously heavy sleeper and it wouldn't interrupt his nap.He looked bad.He was pale, sweaty, and wheezing badly.She explained her plan to Rev; they would go to this planet, Ander, and hope someone there could help.It was a long shot, Ander wasn't a very modern planet, but it was their best shot.

Harper woke up about an hour later.Beka insisted he get back in bed and stay there when he appeared on the command deck.Harper was actually obedient and had disappeared back to his room.That was a sign he was really sick.They were going as fast as she could manage.They were probably the first people ever to speed to Ander.But, the time still seemed to crawl.When they finally arrived Beka sprung from her seat and rushed for the door.By now Harper couldn't even manage to walk straight under his own power.Gasping for breath and hanging on Rev they met Beka at the door.

Outside they were met with exactly what they had hoped not to see.There was nothing out there.It was a landing field on the edge of a village.A village, surrounded by a forest and no signs of modern conveniences!!Out of the huts came a few brave mouse-like people.Furry and with huge round ears they approached the visitors cautiously."We need a doctor" Beka explained.The mouse men looked at each other, whispered and the tallest stepped forward.He let out a chirping sound, Rev jumped in and answered with more chirping, a gesture to Beka and then a nudge at the boy clinging to his neck.More chirping from the tall mouse, another quick shake of Harper, who moaned and swatted weakly at Rev and the group's leader led them to a hut on the edge of the village.

Looking down from the tree where she was perched she saw them.A short, thin human was leaning on a Magog because he could barely stand.He was gulping for air and wincing in pain as he did so. The Magog was unlike any Magog she had ever seen.He was dressed in Monks robes and seemed interested in the human as something other than dinner or an incubator.The human coughed rawly.Trance knew he was seriously sick, but listening to the conservation below her it didn't sound good for him.

"Sorry Ma'am, I don't know how to help him.You're the first humans I've even seen." he doctor explained and the Magog explained to the humans.Trance frowned; she knew an herbal remedy that probably would work on him.But, should she let them know she was there?She was a wanted woman; if she made herself known they'd be on her in a minute. She'd been in hiding for a while now, waiting for a way off this planet.These people weren't really looking for her anymore so she was just about ready to sneak away.But, if they saw she was still here, well, it wouldn't be good.Of course if she didn't help this man would surely die.Looking at the blonde man who was suffering and seeing the horror that crossed the faces of his comrades at the doctor's declaration she knew she couldn't let that happen.Not when she could help.

There was a sound of breaking branches and suddenly before them was a purple girl with a tail.No one had ever seen anyone like her before.She had pretty lavender skin and her hair was blonde, purple, and pink.She smiled at them.

"It's her!" the doctor yelled

"They seem to want her", Rev explained

"I can help your friend", she explained.Beka didn't pause, she grabbed this sprite around her wrist and dragged her to the Maru.This girl might be Harper's best chance.Rev scooped the boy's feet out from under him and followed his fleeing captain.

They made it to the Maru, They ran to the command deck.Beka threw herself into the pilot's seat.The ship was airborne and out of the atmosphere by the time the doctor alerted the authorities."They can still trace us" Rev pointed out as he set Harper down in a chair. He was seized by an uncontrolled coughing attack that left him panting.

"W-We could cough aw forget it."Harper gave up trying to explain his plan and just made his way over to the engine display.Leaning heavily on the consol he let his fingers dance nimbly across the buttons.

"What are you doing Harper?" Beka asked her infirmed handyman.

"I'm---" he took a gulp of air and winced"releasing a smoke screen"

"What ?"

"They'll want to find the purple princess here, but they won't be able to cough because your brilliant genius of a handyman just released cough, cough enough radiation to interfere with their sensors for days."

"Who are you anyway?"Beka asked when they were clear of danger

"I'm Trance Gemini"

"And you can help Harper", Beka asked.Harper crashing to the floor cut off Trance's response.He was wheezing loudly and his eyelids were heavy.

"I think so.I know of this plant that helps breathing."She reached into her bag and pulled out a bright red flower."And this plant should help with his cough."It was a dark blue fern.

They had taken him to Medical and propped him up in bed, but she doubted he noticed.He was so sick he couldn't even hold his head up and his eyes refused to stay open. He moaned a little and fidgeted under the blanket they had covered him with. He was wracked with a dry barking coughing fit and he gulped for air. He was getting worse.All his exposed skin glistened with sweat and as Trance gently traced the side of his face with her fingertips she could feel the heat of the fever raging in him.It was time for his medicine; a cup of a blue, sweet smelling liquid administered every hour.Trance held the cup to his lips and gently helped him tilt his head back and drink the medicine.His eyes were closed and he probably hadn't noticed what Trance was doing to him.

The next step in his treatment was to rub a cream made from the flower into his neck.She sat down next to him and gently started rubbing the balm on his neck.Beka sat nearby but gave Trance the room she needed.Harper moaned and she patted his head.Trance noticed the shiny metal circle on his neck.She had never seen one before.What was it?Did it hurt?She decided to ask Beka since Harper didn't seem up to answering questions.

"What is that?"

"His cerebral port"

"Really?"She had heard of them.Expensive and prone to rejection by their recipients, cerebral ports were kind of rare though.

Harper coughed and opened his eyes a little more.He could feel her soft hands gently touching his neck.It was nice, very nice.The girl before him was glittering.Purple and glittering, he had never seen that before.

"I-Its an angel"

"No silly, I'm Trance."

"I think I'm gonna stick with angel."His eyes started to drift shut again.

Beka watched the girl help Harper.She was defiantly kind.She really wanted to help get Harper back on his feet.Her cures seemed to be working too.Harper's coughing was scarce, breathing easier and he was sleeping peacefully. "So, why did those people want you?"Beka asked the purple girl.

"Uhm, I don't know?" she tried 

"You don't know?"

"Yeah" Beka decided not to press her.Beka didn't like to talk about her father, Rev didn't like to talk about his fellow Magog, Harper didn't want to talk about Earth, this bunch got along fine without knowing everything.

"Would you like to stay here with us?We're a salvage ship.It's good honest work and we could use the help."Trance smiled and jumped up and down.

"Yes!"


End file.
